5 Nearby State Parks for Seattle-Area Families to Visit

Three terrific state parks are super handy for Eastside-area families. Tip: To avoid crowds, don't go on the nicest summer Saturday. Early morning or early evening are great times to explore Lake Sammamish State Park in Issaquah, Saint Edward State Park in Kenmore and Bridle Trails State Park in Kirkland. Lake Sammamish has an awesome playground right near the beach, and Saint Edward's beautiful old seminary building (in the image above) is now a swanky hotel! Note that at Bridle Trails you'll encounter park users on horseback and they have the right of way on trails. Alert your kids if you think they might be intimidated by horses, and it's extra important here to follow the rule to keep your dog on a leash.

Editor's note: This article was originally published in 2020 and updated for 2022.

^{Image credit: Sinziana Gafitanu/Flickr CC}